Bar Stools and Armchair Psychology
by franklyherondale
Summary: Feyrhys. He didn't plan on going to the bar that night. But he couldn't not be there for her. She just wants to be alone. Or does she? One shot, all humans AU.


**ACOTAR and its character belong to Sarah J Maas.**

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A boy walks into the pub, looking around, scanning its clientele. A man whispers something in his ear, then gestures to a girl sitting at the bar. The boy nods his thanks.

The only acknowledgement the girl gives him when he sits down is the clenching of her jaw. She grips her whisky glass tightly, her knuckles turning whiter than bone.

"I'll have what she's having," he says after waiving down the bartender. Still, the girl utters not a word.

He swirls his glass when it arrives, keeping his focus on it save for a few glances at her.

"Why are you here?" she finally asks, exhaustion oozing out of every word. Her shoulders sag from their previous taut condition.

"Because I'm in the mood for a drink," he replies easily, nudging her shoulder. There's a pause, then - "and you?"

She laughs a little, titling her head back. The boy can't but help notice she isn't wearing the necklace her boyfriend had given her. "I'm in the mood for a drink," she chuckles, though her gaze darkens and laugh dies towards the end.

The boy snorts, both ignoring the slight force to it. He takes a sip of his drink. "And why might that be, my beautiful darling?"

The girl tries to hide her blush, but fails miserably. It's been a while since someone has complimented her like that. She gives him a shove. "I was sad," she admits. Why did she say that?!

The boy shakes his head in mock disapproval. "We can't have a sad drunk now, can we?" he asks, the laughter in his voice real this time.

The girl finds herself chuckling along side him. She has missed this, she realizes.

One hour and one drink later, the girl finds herself loosening up a bit more.

That is, until she looks up at the time and swears worse than a sailor amidst a storm.

The boy can't help but laugh, almost falling off his stool, earning himself a stern glare. It has no anger behind it, though that fire he has missed is back.

"It's eleven o'clock!" she whispers agitatedly. "On a Wednesday!"

The boy rubs his face; he is more tired than he is willing to admit. He links elbows with her, dragging her off her bar stool (while ignoring any and all protests, she might add) and out into the night.

The air is crisp against their skin as they stroll to the parking lot, a biting cold that sends the girl in to shivers. The boy takes off his jacket, wrapping it around the girl, who gives him a glare but pulls it tighter, subtly noting how his smell still lingers.

"Shall we?" he asks, gesturing to her car.

She looks at him quizzically. "You didn't drive?" she asks with a tilt of her head.

He shakes his in response. "My cousin dropped me off," he explains. A mischievous glint enters his eye. "She's down meeting at girl who works at Rita's."

The girl laughs, then yawns as the sleep starts to hit.

The boy herds her to the passenger' seat as she hands him the keys with a roll of her eyes. "Where to?" he asks, no judgment in his eyes.

The girl swallows. She knows he's known the entire time, but this feels... different. She opens her mouth, but words don't follow. "I... I can't go back," she says in a small voice.

The boy shrugs. "Do you wanna crash at my place?" he asks. He wiggles his eyebrows. "We have leftover cake," he says.

"From what?" she laughs.

"From a 'You Finally Got Laid' party," he replies with a perfectly straight face.

She snorts.

"Your house it is," she says, knowing full well that one of them was going to sleep on the couch tonight, lest they share his queen bed.

He smiles, and it's a soft, kind thing. And that's when it hits her. He... he actually understands. He cares. And he didn't push farther what she needed.

He smiles at her, that kind smile.

He smiles at her.

And she smiles back.

* * *

 **AN:**

 **Hey guys! Whaddoya think?**

 **I like this one, but I don't know if Rhys is exactly in character at that last bit. You?**

 **Also, I have recently discovered the likes of Glee.**

 **I'm in fucking love.**

 **Please review!**

 **Random Fact: One of my weirdest dreams involved glowing green penguins trying to eat me and Robert Gonzales from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.**

 **~ franklyherondale out**


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